Sporting News 2011 NFL All-Pro team includes LeSean McCoy

They are the crème de la crème, the best of the best, the pros' pro. Sporting News presents its All-Pro team for the 2011 season. It's a list that would be a coach's dream.

SN's best in the league at every position, based on a vote of 30 NFL executives:

JOHN C. WHITEHEAD/The Patriot-News, 2010Shelby Benner 10, of Halifax gets a football autographed by Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers at Harrisburg Mall. JOHN C. WHITEHEAD/The Patriot-News, 2010

Defense

DE Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings. He fell a half-sack short (22) of tying Michael Strahan’s 2001 single-season record, but his relentless energy is more impressive than any statistic.

DT Haloti Ngata, Baltimore Ravens. His 2011 numbers (64 tackles, five sacks) were eerily similar to his 2010 stats (63 tackles, 5½ sacks), as he consistently put fear into offensive linemen with his 6-4, 330-pound frame.

DT Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions. Although he saw a big drop-off in production (from 10 sacks to four) from his rookie campaign and lost two games to suspension,

his presence was still a big reason for the success of coach Jim Schwartz’s front four.

DE Jason Babin, Philadelphia Eagles. Babin is a perfect fit in Philadelphia’s wide-angle 4-3 pass rush, and he thrived in his return to the team. His 18 sacks at age 31 make the former first-round pick the ultimate late bloomer.

OLB DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Cowboys. What’s new? Ware once again seemed like he was everywhere on the field, but he was mostly in the face of quarterbacks (19½ sacks). Now, if only Dallas can find him more secondary help.

ILB Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers. Although Willis experienced hamstring problems and missed multiple games (three) for the first time in his career, his presence inside was key in the emergence of fellow speedy linebackers NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith.

OLB Terrell Suggs, Baltimore Ravens. He put the “T-Sizzle” in the AFC’s best sack attack, getting 14 of Baltimore’s 48, and he also had two interceptions. At 29, he’s in his prime as a savvy, disruptive playmaker.

CB Darrelle Revis, New York Jets. He may have been slightly short of his old shutdown self, but that’s because teams dared to throw his way more. Revis responded with four interceptions and an elite year by any corner’s standards.

CB Charles Woodson, Green Bay Packers. It’s a mistake to call Woodson a top corner because he also plays like a linebacker and safety in coordinator Dom Capers’ scheme. His play (74 tackles, two sacks, seven interceptions) was close to where it was in 2009, when he was the NFL’s defensive player the year.

S Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers. Like with Woodson, it’s hard to describe Polamalu’s versatile role behind a 3-4 front. He was limited in coverage (two interceptions) but still dominated by making plays against the run (91 tackles) and confusing quarterbacks.

S Eric Weddle, San Diego Chargers. He roamed the field to rack up tackles as usual (88) while emerging as an impact ballhawk with seven interceptions.

Special teams

K Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders. He probably secured his first Pro Bowl berth when he nailed a record-tying 63-yard field goal on the opening Monday night in Denver. He finished 7-of-10 from 50 yards and beyond.

P Andy Lee, San Francisco 49ers. The Niners’ secret field-position weapon led in the NFL in punting average (50.9) and dropped 28 balls inside opponents’ 20.

KR Joe McKnight, New York Jets. He led the NFL in kickoff-return average (31.6) and took one back 107 yards for a score.

About the awards

Sporting News polled 632 NFL players, coaches and executives for our awards. Everyone voted for offensive and defensive player of the year, rookie of the year and comeback player of the year. Only the 32 coaches and executives from that group voted for coach of the year, coordinator of the year and executive of the year. Thirty coaches and executives voted for the All-Pro team.

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